Plug valve



Patented Feb. 6, 1951 PLUG VALVE Joye C. Haun, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Electric Steel Foundry, Portland, Oreg., a corporation of Oregon Application January 20, 1945, Serial No. 573,757

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to plug valves and is particularly concerned with plug valves of the lubricated type and plug valves provided with arrangements for lifting the plug valve off its seat to facilitate the turning of the valve.

One of the objects and accomplishments of my invention is to provide a lubricated plug valve with an improved and eminently satisfactory permanent metallic seal which eliminates the necessity for renewable packing. l

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved structure including resilient means and rigid stop means whereby the valve can only be lifted from its seat by a predetermined amount and whereby, as soon as the source of pressure is removed, the plug is immediately and positively returned to its seat. These results are accomplished by the elimination of ordinary composition packing, by use of a metal seal of a flexible nature and by use of relatively sti/ springs of a very comlpact structure, which are adapted to permit the lifting of the plug only until they are deformed to seat, and which immediately return the plug to its seat when pressure is removed.

-One of the sources of upkeep expense of the valves in the prior art is the composition packing which is customarily employed and which is subjected to pressure by a gland. Such packing loses its resiliency, and this results in leakage around the stem, and numerous adjustments of the packing gland are necessary and new packing rings are required, which must be compressed by these numerous adjustments before correct seating of the packing is again obtained. All of this trouble is eliminated according to the present invention by utilizing a metal seal of a flexible nature with spring means for holding the seal in its sealing position and for returning the plug promptly and positively to its seat after it has been lifted. Such a packing arrangement constantly retains its resiliency and requires no further adjustment after pressure has been once applied to the resilient springs which maintain the seal.

Springs heretofore proposed have exerted too great a pressure downward on the plug, providing sufficient tension is placed upon them to prevent the plug rising from its seat due to the piston effect of the line pressure;A the excessive spring pressure downward on the plug taper causing the plug to seize and gall. The present spring can be adjusted to a very light downward force to seal the diaphragm under low line pressure, but will exert an enormous resistance to excessive 2 rising of the plug from its seat due to the fact that increasing force with increasing rising is required to deform the spring leaves in the seat. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts in both views.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on a plane passing through the axis of the inlet and outlet ports, showing the plug in elevation and the valve body in section; and

Fig. 2 yis a fragmentary sectional view taken through the sealing arrangements located around the stem at the top of the plug on a plane which passes through the axis of the plug.

Referring to Fig. 1, Io indicates the plug valve in its entirety and the valve includes a valve body indicated at I I, a valve plug I2 and -a cover plate I 3.

The embodiment which has been chosen to illustrate the invention happens to have the valve body of the fiange type in which the two ports I4 and I5, either of which may be the outlet or inlet, are provided with cylindrical walls I6, I1 which terminate in a seating surface I8, I9 and are provided with radially extending fianges 2G, 2|.

The flanges 20, 2I have the usual apertures 22 which are used to secure these valves to the adjacent flanged pipe or other suitable conduits.

Intermediate the cylindrical wall portions I6, I1 the valve body is formed with a tapered frustoconical bore or seat 23 which extends transversely to. the direction of the ports I4, I5, and the tapered bore 23 extends above and below the conduits forming the ports I4, I5. At its lower end bore 23 communicates with a slightly enlarged chamber 24 which has a lower wall 25 closing the valve body at the lower end of the bore 23. At one side the chamber 2 is preferably provided with a tubular extension 26 having an inner-threaded bore 2l for receiving a suitable pressure lubricant fitting 28 whereby lubricant under pressure may be supplied to the chamber 24.

Various types of lubricant fittings 28 may be utilized, but the one illustrated is of the type having a non-circular body 29 and a reduced threaded shank 30. The body 29 carries a head 3! in the form of a radially extending flange 32 which vis separated from the body by a groove 33 preferably of rectangular shape. Body 29 may be provided with an outlet bore 34 and.

bolts Vfl'is'carrying Ythe nuts 55.

inlet bore 35 and an intermediate enlarged counterbore 36. Counterbore 35 is preferably provided v/ith va, check valve 3l comprising a disc which seats against a suitable gasket 38 and which is urged in that direction by a compression coil spring 39.

Disc il may have a rearwardly extending skirt to provide a cylindrical guide sleeve 4l slidably mounted in the bore 36.

The external shape of the body i2 of the valve is also generally frusto-conical tapering from the top to the bottom, the body projecting slightly below the cylindrical portions l, Il and also projecting slightly above its cylindrical anges, the upper projection of the body being indicated at numeral 43.

At its upper end the frusto-conical bore 23` is open and it is' closed by the cover plate I3 which has a plurality of regularly spaced securing flanges ill with apertures for receiving the stud At the points where these bolts 125 are to be located the wall of the body l2 is also thickened and provided with threaded bores for receiving the studs d5. The body 52 is provided at its open end with an annular seating surface lll surrounded by`a counterbore i3 and the Cover i3 has a lower seating surface 49 which extends to an outer cylindric'al surface 55 which fits in the counterbore 58.

Beyond the cylindrical surface 50 the external outline of the cover i3 may assume any desired shape, but is preferably substantially circular, except for the radially extending ears 44 which are used for the securing bolts 45. Cover I3 is provided with a centrally located cylindrical bore i for receiving and guiding a pressure ring 52 and for housing aplurality of annular springs 53.

Cylindrical bore 5i communicates with a larger threaded bore 5.6 for receiving the threaded portion of the gland'55 which surrounds the stem of the plug l2.

Cover i3 also preferably has an upwardly extending partiallyanriular stop wall 5l comprising acylindrical flange which may extend over one-quarter of a revolution. Two such stop lwalls 5l are preferablylocated diametrically opposite to each other at the opposing quarter of a circle surrounding the stem. This leaves two open portions about -90 each for l'movement of the stop member or wrench. The flat end surface of each may serve as stops for engaging a wrench or handle and opposing stop shoulder, and so constructed that the plug can only 'be turned in one way, that is, in a clockwise direction looking from the top of Fig. l, so that the vertical lubricant grooves on the plug will never be exposed in the conduits leading to the inlet or outlet ports iii, l5.

Plug i2 comprises a frusto-conical metal member in the form of a truncated cone tapered from the top tow rd the bottom and complementary in shape to the tapered bore 23. PlugV i2 vmay be provided with a plane bottom surface 59 andwith a plane top surface 50.

At its upper end the plug l2 preferably carries an integral stem 55 comprising a cylindrical extension, the outer cylindrical surface 5 l which has a rotating nt in the bore S2 of the gland 55.

The extreme upper end of the stem 58 may be non-circular, for example, it may be provided with flattened sides 63, 55 for engagement in a complementary aperture in a wrench or handle.

The length of the plug i2 and the size of its body is such that it will have its upper plane f surface 55 located substantially below the annular seating surface 4l when the plug is tightly seated in its bore.

The plug and stem are preferably provided vith improved sealing means in the form of a flexible metallic diaphragm E5 of suieient size and circular in shape to t in the bore 48.

Diaphragm E5 may be made of any suitable metal, such as stainless steel, and it is provided with a centrally located cylindrical aperture 65 for passing the cylindrical portion 8| of stem 55. Immediately above the flexible diaphragm e5 there is located an asbestos gasket 6l which is of exactly the same shape and is located about the stern V5S, except that it is above the diaphragm 55.

A'fiuid-tight seal is provided between the diaphragm S5 and the body i2 by the pressure of the seating surface 4a of cover I3 against the seating surface [3l brought about through the intermediary of the nuts and the bolts 15.

The igasket @lis `engaged about the stem 55 by a steel backing ring 52 which is provided with a central bore 58 for receiving the stem 5l and with'the external cylindrical surface A6E to be received in the bore 5i of cover I3. Backing ring 52 may have a -lower plane surface 'IG engaging the gasket 5l, but it preferably has an upper dished annular surface 'il into which the springs 53 may be bent. The shape of this -dished surface may vary from ia, convex curved surface to a groove of rectangular shape, but the shape of the backing ring and adjacent parts are substantially shown inFig. 6.

Such a groove is 'indicated-at l! and is bordered at each side by an upwardly extending annular flange 'l2 having a plane upper surface i3. Above the backing ring 52 'in the bore 5i about the stem 55 there are a plurality of spring members 53 comprising resilientspring leaves, each of which is an annular inemberhaving a circular outer boundary fitting in the bore 5I and a central bore having a rotating Yfit withthe stem 56. These spring leaves maybe made of spring steel such as, for example, 'steel having 0.95 to 1.05 carbon. Any suitable number of spring leaves may be employed to secure the desired degree of stiffness vof the assembly, such as one spring leaf, two, three, four, ve, etc.

The maximum resiliency and minimum stiffness is accomplished by a single spring leaf, but the use of two spring leaves is shown in the'embodiment illustrated.

'The gland 55 may comprise a tubular steel member having a central bore 52 yfor receiving the stem 5G and having an upper non-circular portion 'lll for receiving a wrench. At its lower end the'external surface of the gland is threaded at'15 to be received in the threaded bore 5. The lower edge of the gland is formed with a curved annular convex surface l5, the apex of this curved annular surface forming a circular line of contact with the'uppermost spring leaf 53 at a point midway betweenA the edge of the ring and the bore of the ring. Y

The operation of this sealing arrangement is as follows: lThe gland 55 is tightened by means of a wrench until a predetermined pressure is placed upon the springs' 53 which are caused to arch downward into the recess ll. The pressure does not, of course, go beyond the elastic limit of the spring leaves 53 which tend to return to their dat condition and urge the backing ring 52 downward against the gasket 5l and flexible diaphragm 65.v

VDiaphragm B5 isur'ged into a 'tight sealing en-` gagement with the upper plane surface 60 over an area substantially equal itc the areal of the backing ring 52 immediately adjacent the stem 56.` This sealing engagement is maintainedat all times but the springs 53 are still permitted vthrough port 11 comprising an opening extending through the plug at right angles to the axis of the plug and affording passage through the valve when the plug isopen. This port 11 may be substantially rectangular in cross section, with rounded corners leaving sufficient body von'either side of the port 11 for suitable lubricantbores, etc.

In order tc provide for a source of lubricant under pressure to seal the valve against leakage past the sides of the plug I2, the plug may be provided with a longitudinally extending groove 18, 19 on each of its sides adjacent the border of the plug port 11. Groove 13 may .be h alf cylindrical in shape and preferably extends from a point slightly below the port 11 to a point slightly above the port 11. Each of the grooves 'I3 and 13 is diametrically opposedto the other and these grooves vare located on that side of the port 'I1 which turns away from the inlet and outlet ports i4, I5 ef the valve body when the valve is being closed.

Thus, the grooves 18, 19 are never moved into the stream of fluid which passes through the valve, but these grooves 18, 19 wipe across the vclosed portion of the frusto-conical wall 23 and cover an area which extends above and below the inlet and outlet ports I4. On each closing or opening movement of the valve the grooves 'I8 being filled with lubricant they are adapted to lubricate this large area of frusto-conical wall of the portl 23. During the time when the valve is closed there is a solid wall of lubricant in the grooves 18, 1S which resists leakage past the sides of the plug.

Grooves 13, 19 are supplied with lubricant for the body as shown in Fig. l, by radially extend- `ing bores S-SI which lead from a central bore '82 of the stern 55 to the tops of the bores 18, '19. The bore 82 in the stern serves to house a supply of lubricant, a check valve and suitable pressure supplying device in the form of a threaded plunger 83, the lower threaded portion of which 8G is threaded into a threaded bore 35 in the stemv 56. The shank 86 of this threaded plunger may be reduced in size and provided with a non-circular head 81 for -receiving a wrench, the head also having a transverse aperture 88 for receiving a pin, so that either the pin or the wrench may be ous in a vertical direction curving gradually uli ward and downward as it progresses about the periphery of the plug. The wave-like groove IUI communicates with a radially drilled conduit |02 which communicates with a vertically drilled conduit |03 leading to the bottom of the plug to communicate with the chamber 24 in Fig. 1. Thus, the wave-like groove IUI receives this lubricant from the chamber 24 and seals the joint between the plug and the housing above the port 11. By reason of this wave-like form, the groove IOI spreads lubricant over an annular area equal to the width extending from the lowermost side of groove II to the wall at the uppermost portion of groove IDI.

The operation of my lubricated plug Valve is substantially as follows:

When the valve is in open position, the lubricant in the grooves 18, 19 is not exposed to the flow of liquids passing through the valve, as the grooves 18, 19 never become exposed inside the inlet or outlet ports Ill or I5. When the valve Iis turned from open position te closed position, the lubricant in the grooves 'is and 19 is wiped across the area of the frusto-conical seat 23 which is located between the positions of these grooves in the closed and in the open position of the plug. Thisv film of lubrication, as well as the constant supply in the grooves 18, 19, provides a seal against leakage of the liquid past the sides of the plug.

The wave-like groove at the top likewise lubricates a band of plug and seating surface at the top and tends to prevent leakage past the upper part of the plug. I

The reservoir 24 is constantly full of lubricant, and when it is desired to unfreeze a valve additional lubricant under pressure may be supplied through the fitting 28 to lift the plug off its seat, by a predetermined amount, as for example, .003 of an inch, this being half of the clearance of .006 in the annular depression of the backing ring Y 52, the other .003 having been taken up in placing a predetermined tension on the resilient leaf springs 53.

When the plug is thus lifted from its seat, lubricant from the chamber 2d tends to move up into the annular crack around the plug on all sides, thus tending to lubricate all of the surfaces of the plug so that the plug can be very easily turned. When this pressure has been relieved in the chamber 2a, either by the lubricant leaking upward around the sides of the plug or by other means, the plug will immediately reseat itself, which is not possible with the devices of the prior art utilizing a composition packing.

The flexible diaphragm is adapted to permit this `amount of motion while constantly maintaining a fluid-tight seal underneath the backing ring 52 where the diaphragm 65 engages the upper surf-ace of the plug I2.

The lubricant usedk in the bottom chamber 24 Jmight be relatively cheap, but good lubricant,

which need not necessarily be highly resistant to the materials which are carried through the valvesfrom the standpoint of either decomposition or solution. More than of the seating surface of the plug would be directly lubricated from the bottom chamber 24 in which Ia relatively inexpensive gun grease could be used with good results. The yremainder of the seating surface will also receive a considerable amount of lubricant from the same source, which will tend to cut away and clean it of partially decomposed, sticky, heavy semi-solid lubricants or plastics,y

fiammata which may berused vfor sealing the -por-ts1by1presvsure"lubricant system connected to the'stemfof 'thefvalve Thestem lubricating system may :be used exclusively for eectingisealing of ith-e port and -that section of the seat that isexposed-to line solution by either-a special grease or lplastic -'material. The bottom chamber ofthe Ehousing *may be used for the hydraulic lift and lub-'rication'atiall points where the surface never comes indirect contactwith the line solution.

Inthe embodiment of Fig. l a plastic material -or a packing material, which is ynot necessarilya `lubricant, can be used in the 'stemlsystem in place of'a lubricant `or a grease, this material being used primarily as a seal. Then a relatively Yche-ap Alubricant can lbe used in the bottom chamber, and this lubricant will be furnished lto mostoi the seating surfaces from the bottom Iitting to free the plug and-obtain ease in turning the plug.

The -use of a metallic seal insteadof compositionpacking contributesto less upkeep and Alonger service lifeA and permits the axial movementoi vthe plug by the springs which are 'definitely limitedlin their movement, so that lubricant-cannot be Wasted, as distinguished from theprior art devices.

Adjustments of packing-are -not necessary,and the' plug is rapidly returned to its seat after the lifting operation, so that the 'present plug valve r'is adapted to effect a complete shut-oli at once.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, -many mcdincations may V-be'fmade'Without departing from the spirit Vof the invention, Aand I do notl wish to be limited'te the precise details of construction set forth, but de- -sire -to'avail myself` of all changes 'within the scope ofthe appended'claim's.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,is:

l. In a lubricated valve a housing provided with inlet and outlet ports and with a tapered seat for a rotary plug member, a' rotary plug mounted in said housing and engaging said seat, said plug being provided with a port for communication with the inlet and outlet ports of said housing, said plug being provided with a, stem adapted to project from said housing to be used in turning the plug, said plug having an annular seating surface on the same end of theplug as said stem, diaphragm sealing means having a leaktight connection with said housing and having a sliding engagement with said annular seating surface on said plug, and resilientmeans for urging said plug into engagement with itsiseat in said housing and comprising an annular spring member reacting against said diaphragm means, and means for effecting iiexure of said. spring member along yan annular line located between the inner and outer boundaries of saidannular spring member, the last mentioned means com- Vprehending an annular closure member carried byV said housing and having. an -annular surface `for engaging said spring membenasaidwannular surface being curved to provide a circularv apex 5- Which engages the spring member between its inner andouter boundaries, and aibacking member located between said diaphragml means and said spring member, said backing member being formedwith `a pair of annular backing surfaces and an intermediate annular recess, said backving surfaces engaging said spring member ad- Hjacent the inner and outer boundaries of said spring membenmeans--for applying. pressureto .said plug to move it Lfrom said tapered seat against the biasing force'of 'saidiannular,springfmembeii land-saidintermediate annular recess of the backing member having a depth such thatfitrrestricts the nexure of` said-annular spring member to a predetermined amount and. thereby limits the movement of the plug from its seat.

2. In la ylubricated valve Va housing provided withA inlet and outlet ports and with atapered seat for arotary plug member, a rotary 'plug rmounted in said housing and engaging s-aid seat, said plug being provided fwith ya port .for communication with the inlet and outlet ports of said housing, said plug being provided 'with `a stem adapted to project from said housingto be used lin turning the plug, said plug'having an annular seating surface lon the same end. of the plug as said stem, diaphragm sealing means having a leak-tight connection with said housing and having a sliding engagement with said "annular seating surface on said plug, and resilient means for urgingY said plug into engagementwith its seat'in said housing and comprising an annu- .lar` spring member reacting against said dia- Vphragm means, and means for effecting 'exure of said spring `member1 along an annular line located between the innerV and outer boundaries oi saidV annular spring .memben the last .mentioned means comprehending anlannular closure member carried by said housing and having an annularsurface rfor engaging said spring .member, said annular surface being curved to provide a circular apex .which engagesithe springsmember between its inner and outer boundaries, and

-a -backing memberlocated between vsaid'dia- .'phragrnmeans and saidY spring member,V said backing member being formed with a pair ofuanvnular backingsurfaces and an intermediate y,an-

. nular recess, saidbacking surfaces" engaging said spring `member adjacent the'inner and outer `boundaries of said .spring .,member, hydraulic ,means including a chamber enclosing the end of said .plug opposite saidannularspringmember fori-moving said plug from its seat ,against fthe -biasingy force of said -annular -spring-imember, and means including said backing membenpreyviding ya Vpositive stop for limiting 'the movement -of said .plug .against thebiasing force ofisaid spring member.

3. In a lubricated plug valve having anannu-lar taperedr plug with-a plane sealing-,surface .lat one endland seated in'a taperedseat of-ia valve housing,l the combination comprising1 Ia-sealing "i diaphragm having a leak-tight connection v:to the 'valve housing and -slidably engaging the plane sealing surface of the vplug,-and-.lmeansfforcibly -'pressing said diaphragm into sealing engagement with said sealing surface* and biasing vthe-tapered plug winto seated relationship Awith said'tapered -seat,'said"means comprising an annularbacking 'memberwhaving a 'plane surface for engaging :the vdiaphragm *andl anannularlyfchanneledr; surface opposite the plane surface thereof` and present ing -radiallyspaced marginal beads of' substantially the same height on"opposite'sides' of-'the annular channel, an annularleaf spring rofsubstantially the same'diameterras the backing meme ber engaging said beads, and a memberfadjustab'ly secured to said housingV andfpresenti-ng an annular `apex engaging said leaf spring on the side thereof opposite the beads and at aradiuslsubstantially midwaybetween the beads, lso asto -flex the leaf spring `annularlyinto' thefc-hannel and' bow the 'spring radially, and the'spa'cing of said beads and the depth f said channel being 1,944,995 Nordstrom Jan. 30, 1934 Name Date FennemaJ May 29, 1934 Haun Aug. 27, 1935 Nordstrom Jan. 21, 1941 Nordstrom Sept. 9, 1942 Kerr May 5, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country l Date Great Britain Aug. 5, 1926 

